Some Links and Some TV

*Ana linked to this post by Clare about criticism that got me thinking a little bit. I think Clare raises a lot of good points about the conflation of author and text and reader and text. I also like what she says in comments about intentionally surrounding yourself with people who think differently than you. I always find this discussion slightly uncomfortable because I do both...picking things apart is often the sign that I liked something enough to do so, it was interesting, well written enough, intriguing enough that I wanted to get at what didn't work or did work for me. On the other hand, sometimes I don't want to think too hard about something because everything does inevitably fall apart when you do so. Sometimes I just want to ride on a gut emotional reaction to something and have that be it, because yes too much talking about something and the negatives of it can make me like it less. But what I react to emotionally is not necessarily the same thing someone else does. I don't know I think about this a lot because it's always coming up, this idea of criticism and loving things. And I guess I think there's room to be both ways, like I obviously think it's fine and in fact wonderful that other people enjoy engaging with works in this way because a) I do it myself and b) I like reading it sometimes. But I also think it's okay if you just want to not talk about certain books or shows in that way. I guess basically I think everyone should be happy to let others enjoy life and art the way they want to. If someone is criticizing something you love and you don't want to engage with it in that way, like just skip it and move on instead of fighting about it on tumblr or whatever. If someone wants to say something is amazing without explaining why well that should be their right, too! (I think there's some other interesting stuff going on in Clare's post about judgment and criticism and our society as a whole that I need to think about some more)

*St. Louis Cardinal's legend Stan Musial passed away on Saturday. I've been enjoying reading some of the posts about him such as this one:

He wasn't superhuman, and couldn't be contorted into superhumanity by eager fans or writers; he just lived his exceptionally long life as we wish sometimes we could, and always hope we might. So all of us—usually so complicit, so necessary in building up legends—were left without anything to do; he'd taken care of it.

*Also, I'm still bummed the Seahawks were eliminated last week and then annoyed the Falcons were eliminated this week! Oh well, who are you rooting for in the Super Bowl? I haven't decided, yet, but I guess it was fate that these two brothers should meet. (sports narratives can be so interesting, sometimes!)

*I very much appreciated Wendell Berry's thoughts on gay marriage.(HT Rachel Held Evans)

Berry said liberals and conservatives have invented “a politics of sexuality” that establishes marriage as a “right” to be granted or withheld by whichever side prevails. He said both viewpoints contravene principles of democracy that rights are self-evident and inalienable and not determined and granted or withheld by the government.

TV

*Did anyone else watch The Carrie Diaries? I thought it was pretty cute but I have to admit I kind of wonder who the show is really for. It's not that I don't think teens can't relate to stories set in other times, it's just that I'm not sure this show will be strong enough in universal appeal. I enjoyed the 80s nostalgia (even though my real decade of nostalgia is the 90s) and the show kind of...felt 80sish? Like very sweet in a way. Ugh, I don't know how to explain myself. Some of the things I'm curious about is how they will depict certain mindsets. I guess they touched on a bit with Carrie thinking she didn't know anyone who was gay when it seemed really obvious that one of her friends is. So, I don't know, it will be interesting to see how it goes.

*I enjoyed Nashville this week and I really liked Rayna and her producer? (can't remember his name!) But I'm kind of bummed they are already leaping to accusations of something going on between them because I want to enjoy them for a bit longer. Clearly Teddy's problem is that he is not a guitar player. I don't buy their relationship at all, like Rayna has so much more chemistry with the other guys in her life. I guess it's interesting, though, that so far every significant musician in her life is a male...so I'm still really hoping for good things for Rayna/Juliette/Scarlett!

On that note, I strongly disliked the plot of Deacon's bandmate going after Scarlett like that since it was clearly a plot all about getting Deacon off that tour and not about Scarlett. Giving some back story to Gunnar was a good idea, though, because he needed it. Also, Avery keeps getting stupider. (though I can't really blame him for not trusting his manager?)

That's really all I have to say about TV! I watched some GREAT movies this week, though, that I can't wait to talk about in more depth. I also read a couple of books I will hopefully write about soon.

Hope you are all doing well and for those of you Americans who have a long weekend, enjoy!